The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1887-11-02
A MYSTERIOUS FORCE.
How It Was Exerted and It's Hap
by Result.
THE FORCE EXERTED.

THE FORCE ExERTED.
The collar-button fell There is
nothing mysterious in this statement.
for by reason of the force of gravita-
ton exerted upon it, it could not do
otherwise than fall when unsupported.
But neither Sir Isaac Newton nor any
of the scientists of the present day
have discovered or classed that mys-
terious force which causes collar
button, when it reaches the floor, to !
roll away and secrete itself in some
out-of-the-way spot utterly defying |
human skill to penetrate its hiding
place. So, when the collar-button fell |
from Clare Beverly's hand and disap-
peared-but we are getting way ahead
of our story, and as the correct way to
tell story is to begin at the "Once-
upon.a-time" point, we will begin
there.
Once upon time in one Of the
.''shires" of old England lived Sir
Arthur Stanford. Possessed of unlim-
tied estate and fortune, he was conse-
4uently possessed Of an unlimited
amount Of family pride. And by rca-
son of the aforesaid family pride, when
his eldest son Arthur contracted
marriage beneath his station, Sir
Arthur was induced to cut him off
from the paternal inheritance with the
proverbial shilling. So young Arthur
turned his back upon his ancestors do
mains, and with his personal ELECTS
under one arm and his young vile
under the other. set his face in the di-
rection in which the Star Of Empire"
is said to take its way.
Ten years later we might have seen
him settled with his wife and daughter
upon the banks of the Hudson, not far
from the great American metropolis.
He had grown with the country until
his possessions rivaled those of his
fathers. In the midst of his estates he
had erected massive, rambling
structure known as "The Hail. and
modelled somewhat after the paternal
homestead. f#Hs
Ten years later, we might have seen
him widower, and his daughter, a
beautiful girl just poisoning into
womanhood. !.
His possessions were larger and his
fortune greater.
Ten years more and we might have
sean a sullen old man with gray.
streaked hair, who lived all alone in
the great hall. Tho daughter had dis
appeared. none knew where.
Some said she had returned to
England, and others who claimed tc
know more said she had run, away
with poor, struggling paragraphs
writer, employed on one Of the New
York Dailies. Be it as it may, the ole
man never opened his lips in regard
to her, never spoke her name.
When In the course of time he wa.
gathered to his fathers, and the will
opened and read, it was found that Ii,
had left his entire estate to a nephew
named Clare Beverly. His daughter
name was not mentioned. and the Cos
sips, who claimed to know the most
shook their heads wisely and whis
pered, Family pride"
For five years the old hall Remained
tenantless, save for the presence o
the family house-keeper. and thel
word was received to open up the hous
as the new proprietor was about t
visit his estates. S K Hd
Clare Beverly was man Of abou
thirty, strong. straight and handsome
with honest blue eyes, and adeep-tone
voice that could at times command tn
tender accents of woman. SINAI
wonder then that possessing as he di
these qualifications, together with tn
important addition Of magnificen
fortune, he was received into the mos
select circles of the Knickerbocke
aristocracy.
At the time Of the story we con
menced to tell in so headlong mar
ner. he had been located at the Ha
about five months.
At that particular point in the 'tor
in which the title plays an importar
part Clare was dressing for an ever
ing party, given at the home of MIR
Van Kirke. Mrs Van Kirke was
..tlue-blood' whose family dated bac
to the Colonial days, and as was e,
pressed by one of her favored circl
lone eau always count on meetiu
only the most select people at Mr.
Van Kirke's."